Underreamer.



I. H. WALKER & J. A. OLINGER.

UNDERREAMER.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.9,1912. BNnwED MAR, 4, 1914.

1,095,050. Patented Apr.28, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES UNITE STATEAENT OFFICE.

JAMES HAROLD WALKER AND JAMES ALLISON OLINGER, OF WEST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

UNDERREAMER.

Speiication of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 9, 1912, Serial No. 730,465. Renewed March 4, 1914. Script No. 822,475.

To all yrho/a. it muy Concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES H. WALKER and Juin- Obmann, citizens of the United States, residing at West Chicago,

in the county of Dupage and State of Illi-v nois, have invented a new and useful Underreanier, of which the followingis a specitit-ation.

This invention has reference to improvements in under reame-rs for well, casings, and its objet-t to provide a tool of this character wherein'tlie cutters shall be markedly lirni in their seats while in action and at the ,saine time will readily collapse for the introduction or withdrawal of the tool from the well casing, or partially collapsed during the. retractive movement of the reamer, and furthermore present a construction particularly adapted for *cheap production, the construction contributing both to facilitating the manufacture and thc attainment of a rigid working' condition wherein losty motion is practically eliminated.

The invention comprises certain improvements in the cutters with respect. to those portions thereof which enter the cutter head, and also certain improvements in the seats into which the cutters are inserted, together with an improved hey. which by its construetion causes a tirm seating ot' the cutters during the progress of the active stroke of the reainer.

The invention will be best understood -trom a consideration of thc following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings forming a part of this speeitieation. with the further undcrstanding that while the drawings show a pi'aetieal forni of the invention, it is susceptible of other practical embodiments. wheret'ore the invention isnot limited to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings,but may be changed and modified so long as sut-h changes and modications niark no material departure from the salient features oi' the invention.

ln the drawings-Figure 1 is an elevation olthe reamer in the collapsed position ready for introduction into a well casing. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal diametric section with sonic parts in elevation showing the cutters of the reanier in the expanded position. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. f2. Fig. 4 a rear elevation of one of the cnttersremoved from the cutter head. Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. G is a front. elevation of the cutter. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 0f Fig. 3 with the cutters omitted. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 3 ot' Fig. 3 with the cutters and other movable parts omitted. Fig. 9 is a perspective view ot' a key used in the reainer.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an elongated stein 1 terminating at one end in a head 2 and at the other end provided with a screw nipple 3 for attachment to an operating rod or tube. The stem 1 and head 2 constitute the body portion of. the cutter head, and this head carries oppositely disposed reaming cutters 4. Extending lengthwise of the head in the longitudinal axis thereof` is a passage 5 of appropriate size to receive a rod 6 and a spring 7 surrounding the rod and at one end the passage 5 is contractcd as indicated at 8 to form a shoulder 9 against which one end of the spring abuts, while the other end of the spri engages a washer 10 held to the correspon ing part of the rod by a pin 11. The rod 6 is of sutlieient length to extend into the contracted end 8 of the passage 5 and there the rod is provided with a transverse longitudinally elongated slot 12 through which there is extended a key 13 which may be in the form of an elongated flat plate of appropriate dimensions. This key has produced therein at about midway of the ends of one edge a notch 14 of a size to straddle the. rod 6 where traversed bythe slot 11, so that the key 13 is held against movement lengthwise of the key by engagement with that portion of the rod 6 which seats in the notch 14. That long edge of the key 13 remote from the edge provided with the notch 14 has oppositely disposed beveled walls 15 deepest at the inner ends and gradually rising to the outer ends` of the lt'ey. there remaining a central portion 1G of the full width of the key, whieh central portion projects to substantially equal distances on the opposite sides of the rod when the key is in lace. The purpose of this key will appear iereinafter. 0n diametrieally opposite, sides the head 2 has elongated recesses 17 formed therein, these recesses being of approximately equal diameter throughout. their length for a portion of the depth from the outer face of the head inwardly and atl the inner portions these recesses are widened out laterally into.

grooves 18 on opposite sides, which grooves are approximately triangular in cross section with the forward wall meeting the cor- @hei/4160i um! mid. of (me 5mm., mdzmtm at 355x, may 'fmtny pame with iw mldws Ev the bexehd, portum 133 0f 'the slut med towmd ve fai-e 35 of thu su zd um; nl'

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sten/ er fung f mm ti Guti @fige l W Um xml? 1%, the mimhudvv 22. 'iis bev 1'.. mdmawu j msextfed wim me prmg n mi? .tf Um www J" of the w t expanded position with the cutting edges 23 adapted to engage the inner walls of the bore of the well, assuming that the under reaiiier is below the well casing, and enlarge the bore to an extent permitting the loweringr of the casing. Of course, in this condi tion of the parts theextent of separation of the cutting edges is greaterthan the internal diameter of thevcasing and consequently it is necessary to contract the cutters tomove them one .toward the other to reduce the lateral extent of the remuer to'perniit. it to niove through the interior of the casing. To bring this about the cutters are moved lengthwise of the head 2 in a direction away from the stem 1 and aga-inst the normal action of the spring 7. This movement is continued, the key 13Y and rod 6 participating therein, until the beveled-shoulders 31 reach the then lower end ot' the head 2, whereupon the cutters may be made to approacli one toward the other until the recessed portion 30 of the rear wall of each cutter engages the inner edge of a recess 17 at the then lower end of the head., 1When the reamer has'been introduced into the casing and reaches the lower end thereof, the action of the sprinr 7 through the key 13 upon the cutters ten s to `move them toward the stein 1, this movement being permitted by the beveled shoulders 31, whereupon the cutters'niove one away from the other until the shoulders escape from the lower face of the head, and then the reaction of the spring 7 causes the cutters to move quickly along the head until the ends 35 engage the closed ends of the recesses 17 in which position a small portion of the en 85 rejects beyond the outer wall of the heaii 2 constituting an exposed shoulder. Now, when it is desired to withdraw the reamer from the well, the exposed portion of thc ends 35 may be brought into enga-gement 'with the lower end of the casing, thus causing the cutters to move lengthwise of the head 2 compressing the spring 7 until the shoulders 31 reach the lower ends of the recesses 17, the ends 35 of the stems 34 having in the meantime approached because of the taper form of the grooves 18 lengthwise thereof, and 'then thc ends 35 cscapdroin engagement with the casing' permitting the iiidrawiiig of the tool int^ he casing, and its ultimate extraction fro`ni the upper end of the casing. The beveled portions of the key wherein the bevels deepen toward the center of the key, in coaction with the correspond` ing beveled slots 32 tend to draw those ends ofthe cutters remote from the cuttn edges toward each other and to hold suc ends `firmly in their seats against any liability of lost motion.

Corresponding to 19 of the grooves 18 27 also taper, as indicated at 19',

the tape-i' of the edges the sides of the tongues 19", this quently there is a drag on the cutters which will tend to move them against the( action of the sprin 7. The six degree taper of the* back face, o the stems 24 permits the cutter points or cutting edges -to approach slightly under the action of the frictional drag of the up stroke, so that the cutting edges are saved from excessive wear due to fr'ctional engagement and their life is materia ly prolonged.

The forty-tive degree beveled rtongue has the advantage over another orm'of/t-dngue in that it may be manufactured "more cheaply, and is not so liableto break and,v moreover, has an advantage over a greater or lesser bevel in not sticking During the active movement of the reamer there ,is a.

great pressuregor pull against the body ,por-

structure is particularly adapted to ease of manufacture and consequent cheapness thereof.

By extending the springr through the stem Vof the body portion of the under reainer the head carryingr the cutters or bits may be..

iliade correspondingly short and the spring may be as long :isl necessary to insure its freedom from breakage, which is liable to occur with a shorter und more powerful spring.

1. In an under reainer, a head or stock having recesses or seats, the lateral walls of each of which are provided at the innerfnds with longitudinal angle grooves having the vwalls meeting.r said lateral walls atffuii angle thereto ot' substantially formi-five degrees, and said grooves being also inclined with respect to the recesses, and cutters or bits movabhl lengthwise in said recesses and provided with stems or tangs having lateral walls with substantially forty-tive degree tongues having their outer margins converging toward the free ends of the'tongues.

In an under ream'er,.a head or stock, I

its

and bits adapted thereto to enter the neadf tlu sides with theirs-outer edges aprroach-r ing one toward the other as they rece e from the body portion, and a head or stock having a receptacle for the stem or tang of the cutter shaped in conformity therewith.

4. An underreamer comprising a' cutter or it having a hody portion and a stem ortal gli mrtion provided with laterally pro'lect'ing A ougitudinal tongues at the sides their outer edges approaching one towar the other as they recede from the bodyr poi-,4

tion and also inclining toward the front portion of the cutter, and a head or s'tock provided with a receptacle for the stem or tang ofthe bit shaped in conformity therewith.

I. An underreamer comprising a bit haw ing a hody` and a stem or tang, said stem or tang having side tongues converging toward the free end of the tang and the rear face of the tang inclining toward the free end, the degree of convergence of the side ortions being iestsothan the degree of inc ination of the rear face, and a head or stock provided with a receptacle for the stein or tang conforming with the shape of the letter.

6. An under reamer having bits or cutters each with a stenl portion provided on the side walls with laterally" projecting tongues tapering one toward the other in `the direc- -tion of the free eind of' the stem, and said antena also inclining on the-rear face 'toward the free end, and av Stock oi* head having rcccsses for receiving thevstems of `the cutters with laterally disposed grooves tapering one toward the other in conformity with the tongues ie Gutter Stems.

7. An under reamer having bits or cutters veach with a stem portioniprovided on the side Walls with laterally projecting tongues tapering one toward the other in the direction of the free end of the stem, said stein inclini on the rear face toward the free end, an a stock or head having recesses for receivi the stems of the cutters, each recess having laterally disposed grooves tapering in conformity with the tongues on the cutter stems, und said tongues and grooves having enga ing faces beveled at substantially fortyve degrees to the sides of the stems of the cutters and the corresponding sides of the recesses.

8. In an under reamer, cutters or bits having .stems with slots traversing them and each slot increasing in width along one edge from the inner face of the stein toward the outer face thereof, and a key adapted to the slots in the stems of the cutters and havi its end portions widening along one ed e rom the Central portion toward said ends in conformity 'with the slots through the'stems of the cutters.

9. [n an under reame-r, a stock or head portion, a key ada ted to traverse the stock or head portion an provided with end parts vtapering toward the middle portion, and

bits or cutters for the head portion having stems with slots therethrough expanding toward the' outer portions of the stems and shaped to receive the'tapered ends of the keys.

10. In an under reamer, a stock or head portion, a key adapted to traverse the stock or head portion and provided with end parts tapering toward the middle portion,

and bits or cutters for the headportion having stems with slots therethrough expandin toward the outer portions of the stems an shaped to receive the tapered ends of thelkeys', the stock being provided with a or head portion and provided with 'end rod adapted to said passage with the key traversing the slot, and n--spring in the passa e in surrounding relation to the rod.

n testlmony, that we claim the foregoing as our own, We have hereto nliixcd om' signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES HAROLD XVALKER. vJAMES ADLISON OLINGER Witnesses:

K. K. NnL'rNon, 'F 1mm: C. NEL'rNon. 

